Manny Pacquiao, left, and Juan Manuel Marquez, will face off for the fourth time on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. / Julie Jacobson, AP

by Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Sports

by Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Sports

Angel "Memo" Hernandez, a strength and conditioning coach who used to supply performance-enhancing designer drugs to elite athletes, felt compelled to defend his reputation Wednesday.

Hernandez, a star witness for the federal government in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) case involving illegal steroids, remains upset with a comment made last week by trainer Freddie Roach to USA TODAY Sports.

Roach, who trains Manny Pacquiao, said that if Hernandez's client, welterweight Juan Manuel Marquez, had a physique that was natural, he would "kiss his ass."

"I think it's absurd - ridiculous - coming from a Hall of Famer," Hernandez told USA TODAY Sports. "You cannot speak without having any proof. It is a faulty allegation on his part. It's not Manny; he has been a gentleman. Perhaps (Roach) is scared about the fight."

Mexican-born Hernandez is attempting to assemble his own stable of fighters.

Roach's remarks drew the attention of Jeff Novitzky, a government agent who has been investigating steroids in sports for years, including the BALCO case. Hernandez said he met Saturday in Los Angeles with Novitzky to talk about steroids and boxing but did not supply details of the conversation.

"He wanted to ask me a few questions about what was going on in boxing," Hernandez said. "(I've done) nothing illegal - I've been walking a straight (line) with the law since."

Hernandez said any fighter who agreed to work with him had to submit to year-round random testing of blood and urine.

Marquez, then 38, hired Hernandez, formerly known as Angel Heredia, to prepare him for his third fight against his Filipino nemesis in November 2011. Marquez lost a close and disputed decision.

The Pacquiao and Marquez camps say they were agreeable to testing this week. Nothing transpired.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission can test at its discretion. In the past, Pacquiao was accused by unbeaten welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his promoters of using steroids.

Pacquiao later sued the parties for defamation, and the matter was settled out of court.

"For this fight, all of a sudden they are attacking me," Marquez said. "I say we do (a blood test) now."

Pacquiao said he preferred to focus on the fight.

"I want to put that (drug) issue out of mind and give (Marquez) credit for working hard," he said.